MIAMI – It was a season that began with Mo Vaughn batting fifth and ended with him taking up part-time residence at Scores.

It began with Tom Glavine getting drilled on Opening Day and ended with his brother, Mike, singling with two outs in the ninth to escape the embarrassment of a .000 batting average.

The best thing to say about the lousy last-place Mets is that their season is over after yesterday’s 4-0 loss to playoff-bound Florida. Jeremy Griffiths (1-4) took the loss, allowing seven hits and four earned runs over four innings.

It wasn’t much compared to other major league clubs, and yesterday’s output was typical. The NL East cellar-dwellers, who finished 66-95 and 34 ½ games behind Atlanta, mustered four measly singles.

Mike Glavine, who had gone hitless in his five previous at-bats after a controversial September call-up, had one of the Mets’ hits – a single up the middle off Braden Looper.

The much-maligned younger brother of Tom walked to the plate saying to himself, “Please don’t make the last out of the season.”

“That’s the power of my positive thinking,” Glavine deadpanned.

Jay Bell didn’t fare as well. Bell, who retired after the game, exchanged lineup cards at home plate before finishing 0-for-4 with two whiffs and a double play. The 37-year-old, who began the game at second base and ended at short, also had trouble handling the first ball hit to him, but it was ruled a hit by Juan Pierre.

“It was a good day,” Bell said. “It was appropriate. Had I gotten four hits, I would think I could’ve still played.”

There were a number of lowlights during the team’s second straight last-place finish:

* Rey Sanchez allegedly received an in-game haircut.

* “Mental skills coach” Fran Pirozzolo was fired after appearing in the dugout in full uniform, a violation of major-league policy.

* Steve Phillips was canned after building a rotisserie team of past-their-prime veterans .

* Vaughn shut it down with an arthritic knee.

* Howe leaked news that Mike Piazza would be asked to move to first before speaking with the team’s cornerstone.

* Piazza pulled a groin muscle in San Francisco and missed most of the season.

* Glavine lost all four starts to Atlanta and facilitated his brother’s call-up.

Organizational meetings will take place in Port St. Lucie from Oct. 8-10, when nearly every detail of the club will be dissected and analyzed.

“We’re gonna get better,” Howe said. “Sometimes you’ve gotta get kicked in the teeth before you turn it around.”